/ spɪə(r); NAmE spɪr/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
a weapon with a long wooden handle and a sharp metal point used for fighting, hunting and fishing in the past
2.
the long pointed stem of some plants
■ verb
[ vn ] to throw or push a spear or other pointed object through sth/sb :
They were standing in the river spearing fish.
She speared an olive with her fork.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English spere , of Germanic origin; compare with Dutch speer and German Speer .